who or what is this

[rivetrenuck]

hie i have attached two pics, could you tell me who or what is this? are these the bhairavas? i got this picture from a show about tibet, i know the show was full of crap but this statue really got to me.

thank you for your time.

= L e x -

[Son of Mr. Gordo]

I would need pics going from head to toe. You could be right though, possibly one of the four guardian kings, or perhaps even one of the Mahakalas. Hard to say with those pics though.

[Catalytic Subterfuge]

I'm not sure, however, my first impression is that it is Indian in origin. Perhaps the war god(des)? I don't remember the name.

[rivetrenuck]

i am sorry but thats the best i can do, those are snapshots from a documentary on tibet? its just a clip that last for seconds that shows that statue. nothing was said about it.

all i know its that its covered in eyes and red in colour which is why i was guessing that it might be the bhairavas.

[Son of Mr. Gordo]

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v60/mrgordo333/Fourheavenlykings512x170.jpg

Statues of the Four Heavenly Kings Dharma Guardians:
Vaiśravaṇa, Virūḍhaka, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, and Virūpākṣa.

[Dragon]

A Tibetan source might indicate some form of Mahakala.

But the eyes on the body says Indra all the way.

Double check your source.

~D~

p.s. Kali is the name of the Goddess CS, and the skulls would indicate that, but the rest of the image is off for her.

[Catalytic Subterfuge]

A Tibetan source might indicate some form of Mahakala.

But the eyes on the body says Indra all the way.

Double check your source.

~D~

p.s. Kali is the name of the Goddess CS, and the skulls would indicate, that but the rest of the image is off for her.


Thanks Dragon. I'm writting that down for future reference.

[Icehawk]

Definately a form of tibetan buddhist Mahakala, there are three primary forms. Two have the traditional crown of five skulls the third does not, since the pictures indicate the deity with a skull crown you can remove the "White Mahkala" being the form not adorned with a skull crown,

The other two forms are the six and the four armed Mahakala btw Mahakala means "Great Dark One"

The four armed Mahakala holds in addition to the ubiquitous skull cup and chopper, a khatvanga (left hand) and flaming sword respectively. The khatvanga is a kind of ritual staff having three human heads at the upper end.

Whilst the picture shows some form of staff its in the right hand so unlikely to be the four armed Mahkala. The four-armed Mahakala is significant to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism and is called (Chatur-bhuja)

So that leaves the six armed Mahkala the fierce and powerful emanation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. The first thing to notice on the pictures are the eyes grouped in sets of three signifying his ability to see the past, present and future. The picture shows a snake and this is a good clue only the six armed Mahakala crawls with snakes. The Mahakala wears them as adornments expressing the fact that rather than impede our spiritual progress, such emotions have been tamed and harnessed, becoming in the process, crowning glories of our spiritual achievements. I suspect the 'stick is a trident' which is something the Mahakala holds but not sure if its right or left so many arms lol.

Well thats my detective work done I may be wrong or maybe right but hope it adds something. The six armed Mahakala is called (Shadbhuja)

[Son of Mr. Gordo]

Upon closer examination, this is definitely not one of the Mahakalas, and there are actually variations on 2, 4, and 6 handed Black Mahakalas. In the Shangpa school alone there are 13 different forms of Mahakala. You can tell by the shot of the torso, that the eyes and mouth are not part of the iconography of Mahakala. Also note the iconography differs in each of the 4 schools. Not all Mahakalas are emanations of Avalokiteshvara. For example in the Sakya school, Mahakala is an emanation of Vajradhara.

Mahakala was my main practice for some time.

[Naomi]

it's the eyeball nipple man, that's what it is

with fangs.

[Dragon]

What was the name of the show you saw it on?...or what channel and time?

[Icehawk]

Upon closer examination, this is definitely not one of the Mahakalas, and there are actually variations on 2, 4, and 6 handed Black Mahakalas. In the Shangpa school alone there are 13 different forms of Mahakala. You can tell by the shot of the torso, that the eyes and mouth are not part of the iconography of Mahakala. Also note the iconography differs in each of the 4 schools. Not all Mahakalas are emanations of Avalokiteshvara. For example in the Sakya school, Mahakala is an emanation of Vajradhara.

Mahakala was my main practice for some time.

You are absolutely right that not all Mahakala are emanations of Avalokiteshvara and can arise as emanations of Vajrahara or annutratantra and there are variations among different linageages, however the primary six armed Makakala of the Shangpa school was an emanation of Avalokiteshvara and later adopted by the Gelugpa as their main protector. The eyes are iconography related to Avalokiteshvara and the snakes also relate to Mahakala. (See attached detail from The Six-Armed (Shadbhuja) Mahakala body eye(s) adornment)

All that said their are many forms of such imagery throughout Tibetan and Mongolian buddhism and even scholars specializing it this art or teaching cannot always be sure.

What hasn't been said by the original poster is what their interest is? Just a kwell statute or something more as I think this more relevant than labeling for the sake of labelling. The difinative answer in the tradition that the statue was produced is of course the statue is "Emptiness"